Class of 2011 semifinalists

11/28/2010

Five first-year eligible players – Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Willie Roaf, and Deion Sanders – are among the semifinalists being considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2011. Although the semifinalist list is usually limited to 25, this year there are 26 resulting from a tie for the final position. The Pro Football Hall of Fame By-Laws for the Selection Committee provides that the list shall consist of “twenty-five nominees plus all ties.”

The Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee chose the 26 semifinalists from the previously announced list of 114 preliminary nominees. In addition to the five first-year eligible nominees, two other previously eligible candidates, Edward DeBartolo, Jr. and Ed Sabol have made it to the semifinalist’s list for the first time. Each of the remaining 19 nominees on the Selection Committee’s list has been a semifinalist at least once prior to this year.

The list of 26 semifinalists will be reduced by mail ballot to 15 modern-era finalists. That list increases to 17 finalist nominees with the inclusion of the two recommended candidates of the Hall of Fame’s Seniors Committee. The Seniors Committee nominees, who were announced in August, are linebacker Chris Hanburger, Washington Redskins (1965-1978) and linebacker Les Richter, Los Angeles Rams (1954-1962).

The results of the modern-era reduction vote to 15 finalists will be announced in early January, 2011.

To be considered for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a nominated player or coach must not have participated as an active player or coach for five consecutive seasons. A contributor, who is a nominee who has made outstanding contributions to pro football in capacities other than playing and coaching, may still be active in his pro football career.

Although there is no set number of Enshrinees for any Hall of Fame Class, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s current ground rules do stipulate that between four and seven new members will be selected each year. No more than five modern-era nominees can be elected in a given year and a class of six or seven Enshrinees can only be achieved if one or both senior nominees are elected.

The Class of 2011 will be determined at the Selection Committee's annual meeting on Saturday, February 5, in North Texas the day before Super Bowl XLV. The election results will be announced at 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT) during a one-hour NFL Network special, live from the Super Bowl media headquarters.

The Enshrinement Ceremony will be held in Canton on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2011 in Fawcett Stadium. Ticket information will be available soon.

Fan’s Choice
Also, for the second consecutive year, the Pro Football Hall of Fame has teamed up with Van Heusen to ask fans to voice their choice for whom they think should be included in the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2011. More>>>